Hypertension: 6 foods you must include in diet everyday

Cutting down on salt and including fresh fruits and vegetables in the diet is the most common advice given to people with hypertension. Here are a few common foods that you must include in the diet to control hypertension naturally . Read to know what are these foods.

Garlic: It increases the nitric oxide production, causes smooth muscle relaxation and vasodilatation, helping you to control hypertension [1]. So make sure you add garlic to your diet or eat raw garlic the first thing in the morning for its health benefits.

Celery: According to Chinese theory, celery is effective for hypertension because it acts upon the liver. Packed with antioxidants, it reduces systolic and diastolic BP. You can drink celery juice was mixed with equal amount of honey to control BP, as proved by a study [2].

Tomato: Load up your intake of tomatoes as it can lower the BP by more than ten mmHg systolic and more than five mmHg diastolic pressure. However, it is effective only when taken with low doses of anti-hypertensive drugs like ACE inhibitors, calcium channel blockers or diuretics, as reported by a study [3].

Flaxseed: As flaxseeds are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, it can significantly lower the BP. It also exerts a protective effect against the atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease [4]. So make sure you add flaxseeds to your list of foods.

Pomegranate: Drink a glass of pomegranate juice as research has shown that it reduces the activity of angiotensin converting enzymes (ACE) by about 36% [5]. You can even snack on pomegranate every day to reap its antihypertensive benefits.

Chocolate/Cocoa Bean: Cocoa powder is enriched with flavonoids which can stimulate the formation of nitric oxide, increase vasodilatation and reduce endothelial dysfunction. A study [6] revealed that eating 46 to 105 g daily, providing 213 to 500 mg of cocoa polyphenols, can lower systolic BP by about 5 mmHg and diastolic by about 3 mmHg.

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